that's true, but I think its a little different when ur trying to get rid of a player than when you're going after one because you're probably gonna get rid of the player regardless whereas if the price is too high for a player you want, you just look somewhere else.

At the same token, Memphis has hinted getting rid of gay for a long time now but seemed much less desperate than BC does now. I would argue that we controlled those negotiations pretty well considering what we gave up to get Gay

Good points.

But LA hardly has much leverage. They are looking at a $170M payroll next season with taxes factored in for a team that has as much cohesiveness as Guns and Roses use to (ie. none).

But LA hardly has much leverage. They are looking at a $170M payroll next season with taxes factored in for a team that has as much cohesiveness as Guns and Roses use to (ie. none).

lol, well im hoping we can pry him away with bargs and scraps. Before last night I might have even been ok with including demar in the deal ( not that they would necessarily want demar) but man... after last night we gotta at least see if this chemistry can continue and if it does and we can somehow get a hold of gasol without giving up too much.. id be fuckin ecstatic to say the least

I still very much want Pau Gasol on this team. Regardless of how bad he is playing this year, he is still a top 5 PF and has one of the highest basketball IQ's in the league. We'd instantly be a legitimate playoff team if we were to acquire him, even if it means losing Demar.

Also, I can't stress enough how good it is to have someone who can offer a change of pace to the rest of your style. Everyone seems to think he'd be a detriment to the running style, but not if he's mostly playing C. Amir is a great runner, and so is Jonas. So is Quincy, and Gay is clearly tall enough to be an effective small ball 4. What we need is a post player, who can force Ds to pay attention to him and initiate things if other teams are trying to neutralize our running and perimeter games. JV will still be too raw there next year for sure, even if he improves quite a bit, to be a reliable and consistent post presence.

*Sidenote: I have no problem with Millsap either, but I see it as a much more difficult trade to predict. Bargs + AA may not be enough for Gasol, but it's believable that both could fit with what LA is doing. Utah is trading Millsap/Jefferson to free up playing time for the younger bigs. Bargs is therefore a non-starter there. And I doubt BC trades Demar for a PF who might not stay after this season is over. Millsap projects better in the long-run next to JV, but I also won't discount that Pau could become a 6th man type guy off the bench behind Jonas and Amir, and could take a hefty paycut, whereas Millsap will get a raise this summer.

I've been hot and cold on Gasol. Great player, but only really makes sense in the short term. However it is the short term that interests me the most. Typically expiring contracts mean crap, however the 2014 free agency could be a bonanza, and having a $19M trade chip could be seen as very pleasing to a team interested in grabbing a high profile free agent.

Coincidentally it is also the Wiggins draft. Get Gasol now then flip him for picks at the deadline next year to a team looking to shed salary and/or be free agency players.

Still need a few games to see the DeMar/Gay tandem but my do not touch pile right now includes Lowry, Gay, Ross, and JV.

I think Bargnani + Fields would get it done. Both D'Antoni type of players and would excel with Nash.

I'd prefer Millsap of course (better fit long term), however I can definitely get behind a Gasol trade so I voted Yes.

I don't know how much truth there is to this but I've read in some places that the Lakers aren't willing to take any salary beyond 2014 In the hopes of signing Lebron in the summer. Since Andrea's contract runs past that 2014 mark I doubt the Lakers do anything with him plus a small piece like Anderson, Kleiza, Fields.

I don't know man. I love Amir, but I truly believe he is what he is, and that's ideally just a 3rd big or hustle big. He'll never be in the same class as guys like Gasol, Millsap and Smith....So why not try to get one? I'd be very happy if we managed to turn Bargnani into Gasol or Millsap somehow. It's not like Amir still won't play big minutes as the 3rd big.

Also, while I have nothing against Maxiell, it's a pretty lame trade. His contract is expiring, but does anyone believe Kleiza won't be amnestied? And why would Detroit want LK, since they can't amnesty him....Also, Maxiell is basically an older Quincy Acy. It would give depth, but really, why not just give Acy minutes if you're going to play an undersized 4 who liked to dunk.

I am not necessarily fixated on Maxiell, I think the goal should be to look for a short-term serviceable big. I think more so I want to flip Anderson into something, and am hoping his stock is up around the NBA. I don't know if Bargnani would be able to net a return on any of those players you had mentioned. Perhaps Millsap.

As well regarding Amir, I think I may have been higher on him than most posters over the past few years. I think he has done enough this season to earn a spot for the remainder of the season as a starter

Also, I can't stress enough how good it is to have someone who can offer a change of pace to the rest of your style. Everyone seems to think he'd be a detriment to the running style, but not if he's mostly playing C. Amir is a great runner, and so is Jonas. So is Quincy, and Gay is clearly tall enough to be an effective small ball 4. What we need is a post player, who can force Ds to pay attention to him and initiate things if other teams are trying to neutralize our running and perimeter games. JV will still be too raw there next year for sure, even if he improves quite a bit, to be a reliable and consistent post presence.

*Sidenote: I have no problem with Millsap either, but I see it as a much more difficult trade to predict. Bargs + AA may not be enough for Gasol, but it's believable that both could fit with what LA is doing. Utah is trading Millsap/Jefferson to free up playing time for the younger bigs. Bargs is therefore a non-starter there. And I doubt BC trades Demar for a PF who might not stay after this season is over. Millsap projects better in the long-run next to JV, but I also won't discount that Pau could become a 6th man type guy off the bench behind Jonas and Amir, and could take a hefty paycut, whereas Millsap will get a raise this summer.

I totally agree, what this team needs is a real post presence.

But the Gasol domino would surely have to be the last one to fall. Him and Gay alone are going to take up about $40 million in cap space(!) and would take us into the luxury tax. So you'd have to ask yourself, are we contenders with the addition of Gasol?

I've read from other articles that the Laker's aren't interested in any trades that add salary to their 2014-2015 season where they only have Nash on the books and a good free agent crop. I've also read they are reluctant to move Gasol until they have clarity on the Howard situation.

Any deal to get Gasol likely won't happen until the summer and that will only be if Howard resigns which would then marks Bargs a good fit. I also can't see this deal happening unless Ross is included or we have a draft pick to trade. That way, with Howard, Nash and Bargs on the books, they still have cap room for a max free agent. They won't however take on Field's or Amir's contract which would ruin that cap situation.

I'm guessing they will have to wait until the summer so they can regain their ability to include a draft pick (provided we don't get a top 3 pick) with Bargs and hopefully get involved in some kind of sign and trade with West, Jefferson or Milsap.

But the Gasol domino would surely have to be the last one to fall. Him and Gay alone are going to take up about $40 million in cap space(!) and would take us into the luxury tax. So you'd have to ask yourself, are we contenders with the addition of Gasol?

*Gasol will definitely not be a bench player here*

Bench player down the road, man. Not next year. But the way his body is declining, he may be ok with a more limited role where some nights he only has to play 25 minutes or so. Basically he starts at C until JV can or until his body can't take the load. He's certainly only going to get slower so in a couple of years he definitely won't be able to get away with much PF minutes. This kind of role would start at the earliest the season after he expires, so only if we re-sign him.

Also, I have no problem with the lack of cap space. I'm not the one paying the luxury tax, it would only be through next year, and it's still just 9 million more than Bargs, with one less year. I know 9 million sounds like a lot, but if you're going to spend to win, you should give yourself the best shot possible.

I don't know how much truth there is to this but I've read in some places that the Lakers aren't willing to take any salary beyond 2014 In the hopes of signing Lebron in the summer. Since Andrea's contract runs past that 2014 mark I doubt the Lakers do anything with him plus a small piece like Anderson, Kleiza, Fields.

Bargnani has an ETO in his 3rd year meaning he could choose to become a free agent if he wants. Lebron has that same clause in his 3rd year, so there is a chance he is not even available in 2014 either.

It was something I read too, but the Lakers as it stands right now I don't think have the patience to wait one full season like Miami and NY did to clear up space in 2010.

Bargnani has an ETO in his 3rd year meaning he could choose to become a free agent if he wants. Lebron has that same clause in his 3rd year, so there is a chance he is not even available in 2014 either.

It was something I read too, but the Lakers as it stands right now I don't think have the patience to wait one full season like Miami and NY did to clear up space in 2010.

I agree. LA has to stay as much in win-now mode as possible. I think this includes this season, where they have to provide Howard hope for the future. Right now he has no players to believe he can improve with moving forward, every other key piece is in or near decline. They can't afford to wait and try and dump money because LeBron might become a free agent.

Also, LA actually very rarely uses free agency to get what they want. They either draft or trade for a lot of their solid players. Shaq is the only franchise free agent they ever signed, and they were in limbo after the Magic years.

I am not necessarily fixated on Maxiell, I think the goal should be to look for a short-term serviceable big. I think more so I want to flip Anderson into something, and am hoping his stock is up around the NBA. I don't know if Bargnani would be able to net a return on any of those players you had mentioned. Perhaps Millsap.

As well regarding Amir, I think I may have been higher on him than most posters over the past few years. I think he has done enough this season to earn a spot for the remainder of the season as a starter

Anderson only has value in a package. He's not making enough money to bring back even a rookie-scale contract.

And Millsap is the only one he certainly couldn't return, unless Utah has the dumbest GM ever. Utah is trading Jefferson or Millsap primarily to free up roster space for Kanter and Favors to get more minutes. Why would they want Bargs? LA and ATL on the other hand both want to get/stay young and both could benefit from a stretch 4 (especially with Lou Williams out in ATL), as well as the fact that BArgs is a payroll decrease to each of those teams.

Anderson only has value in a package. He's not making enough money to bring back even a rookie-scale contract.

And Millsap is the only one he certainly couldn't return, unless Utah has the dumbest GM ever. Utah is trading Jefferson or Millsap primarily to free up roster space for Kanter and Favors to get more minutes. Why would they want Bargs? LA and ATL on the other hand both want to get/stay young and both could benefit from a stretch 4 (especially with Lou Williams out in ATL), as well as the fact that BArgs is a payroll decrease to each of those teams.

Yes I realize Anderson's salary which is why I had previously attached kleiza to the suggested Maxiell deal. Personally I don't see Bargnani being dealt and think he will be the one amnestied in the summer. I do agree on the majority of your points I just do not see us having the pieces to get a Smith or Gasol

Numbers work.. He is young, long , fast and athletic. Can be our 3rd big... Don't you think DC could turn him into Tyson Candler lite? If he focuses on patrolling the paint, and finishing lobs.. Could he not help?

No. But if it doesn't include any of our core guys Gay/Lowry/JV/Derozan/Ross/Johnson, than I'm not against it. Although, as much as MLSE is willing to spend, Gasol may not fit with our current style because this team wants to run, and the small ball really works well with Gay at the 4.

From a basketball perspective, no. From a financial perspective, no.

So. No.

I personally think getting a prospect big man - centre or power forward - and a veteran point guard is what we need. Quincy Acy at this moment can't be the full time back-up, and he WILL be getting minutes regardless if Bargnani is playing or not.